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Anti-fascists Prepare to Stop BNP "Festival"

Notts IMC | 11.08.2008 14:02 | Stop the BNP's Red White and Blue festival | Anti-racism

Between 15th and 17th of August, the fascist British National Party (BNP) is holding its annual Red, White and Blue 'festival' on a farm in Denby, Derbyshire. In previous years this so-called 'family festival' has brought together BNP members and white supremacists from across the world to enjoy Nazi marching songs and drunken glassings. The event has past off largely unremarked upon in previous years, with just a token response from the anti-fascist movement. Last year when the event was held in the same place, there was only one single protester. This time, however, local campaigners involved in Nottinghamshire Stop the BNP have been mobilising since late last year. The call has subsequently been taken up by Antifa England, Lancaster Unity, Hope Not Hate and Unite Against Fascism among others.

Details: Leaflet and maps | Antifa Callout | Google map of site | Photos of the area | Coaches: 1 | 2

Newswire: Will It Be All White On The Night? | The Alan Warner (BNP) Supporters Club | BNP Begin Arriving for Festival, While Anti-Fascists Leaflet Codnor | RWB toilet supplier targetted | BNP's Second Licence Application Rejected! | Protest against fascist BNP's Red, White & Blue | New paint job for the RWB's fascist farmer

Previous Features: BNP Withdraw Festival Licence Application in the Face of Protests | East Mids Campaigners Up The Anti as BNP Make Electoral Gains | Midlands and Yorkshire organise against the BNP

Links: Stop the BNP's RWB Festival | Smash The BNP's Scumfest! | Indymedia UK Stop RWB topic page



When the BNP applied for a premises licence the police, who had initially been happy for it to go ahead, decided at the eleventh hour to require a series of onerous conditions be included, citing concerns about the looming counter-mobilisation, at which point the party withdrew its application. The BNP later tried to apply for a more limited Temporary Events Notice, but had their application rejected.

The event is taking place on land owned by former-Tory Alan Warner. Apparently unpopular amongst local residents even before he began hosting the event, Warner has not endeared himself to his neighbours by inviting hundreds of fascists to the village. Locals submitted a huge number of objections to the licence applications both last year and this. As the campaign against the festival has stepped up, Warner has found himself the target of anti-fascists. The flag which usually seen flying outside his farm was stolen and, in a separate incident, anti-fascist graffiti was painted on his walls. He has also claimed that hypodermic needles were left in his garden. Warner is so concerned that police have apparently fitted a panic button in his house and placed covert surveillance around his property.

Notts IMC

Additions

Red, White and Blue protest pulls in 700 while Martin Reynolds begs for help

16.08.2008 21:31

Around seven hundred people turned up in Denby today to protest against the BNP's Red, White and Blue booze-fest. Among the organisations represented were members of various unions including NASUWT, Unite, PCS, CWU, and Unison, Notts Stop the BNP, Derby Racial Equality Council, UAF and a whole bunch of locals determined never to have the BNP anywhere near their homes and families again.

They may well have got their way. Around two hundred and fifty police officers, some in riot gear, were deployed, plus a helicopter was keeping an eye on things from above for most of the day. The cost must have been astronomical - and all to protect a load of fascists, their minders and scum like Petra Edelmannova, chair of the far-right Czech National Party, who is a guest of the BNP this weekend.

The police were pretty much everywhere - though mainly at the gathering-point, where there was a number of speakers throughout the afternoon, and at the entrance to the RWB itself - though that seemed to be well-covered by a number of thugs who looked ready to kill and eat anyone who pissed them off.

The march from the village to the site was marred by a brief fracas between anti-fascists and BNP members after the former were attacked by the latter. The groups were separated by police. On several occasions, anti-fascists tried to break through police lines to enter the RWB site itself but were beaten back by riot police and officers with dogs. Apart from these brief interludes, the event went of peacably, with the assistant chief constable of Derbyshire Police Peter Goodman stating: 'We did have an incident which took place with a small number of people, but the majority of people who have come here today behaved impeccably.'

Six arrests were made during the attempts to break through police lines (including across the fields behind the site) but a further twenty-seven occurred as the groups began to disperse and return to their homes or vehicles, when they were in many cases set on by BNP supporters.

Some of the more interesting action took place behind the scenes and well out of the public eye. One of our supporters had a receiver that could pick up the police band and we were treated to a breathless step by step account of the chase over the fields that only ended (for us) when the noise from the police helicopter drowned out everything else.

Once back on the radio, one of our group pointed out that the police referred to us as 'reds' all the way through the day, including the anarchists - described as a 'bunch of reds' even though they were dressed all in black. Nice to know the police aren't biased in any way...

More here:  http://lancasteruaf.blogspot.com/2008/08/red-white-and-blue-protest-pulls-in-700.html

Lancaster Unity
- Homepage: http://lancasteruaf.blogspot.com/


ANTIFA PHONE IN THE HANDS OF POLICE

17.08.2008 11:46

Please note the above comment and spread as widely as possible. DO not attempt to contact Antifa on the number appearing on our website (which is still down) or any leaflets circulated for the RWB action.
Antifa London.

ANTIFA LONDON


Apologies

18.08.2008 16:28

Apologies for taking a while getting our report out.Contrary to what I posted earlier it should appear over the next few days.

To put a few rumours to rest;there were 80+ activists in the field and more who were stopped by police at the entrance to the fields. 33 arrests seems about right and the amount of shit coming out on Stormshite is astronomical. No Antifa were attacked by fascists and all their guff about running us is pure bullshit...not a suprise to anyone who has the misfortune to read their site; and in pubs afterwards the locals seemed more inquisitive than hostile. As has been posted already, it seems local feeling is against the bnp returning to the area, so you can draw your own conclusions on whether or not this was an effective action.

Antifa London


Comments

Display the following 65 comments

  1. The right to offend — Democrat
  2. Re: Democrat — defending rights
  3. Rights for all — Democrat
  4. Clearly all other options have been exhausted — not a fool
  5. Anyone travelling through Gloucester or from Bristol - lift needed? — NETCU WATCH
  6. Sorry - I mean we are seeking a lift! — NETCU WATCH
  7. Join the club — Southern Antifascist
  8. Freedom of Speech — Matt
  9. @Matt — Anti
  10. a quick reminder — ANTIFA
  11. What? — Cluts
  12. Well said — Ketlan
  13. Those who don't learn from history — for real democracy
  14. @ Democrat & Matt — MonkeyBot 5000
  15. Newswire link or Detail? — Anti-Fascist
  16. The threat of the BNP is greatly over exagerated — Dan Factor
  17. @anti — Matt
  18. put the bnp on the map — rednotts
  19. When extreme prejudice is acceptable — antispe
  20. @redNotts — anarcho-worker
  21. F***K The BNP — Clash
  22. Respone to Dan Factor — Bruised Shins
  23. tickets please! — anarcho-worker
  24. the bnp blimp — up up and away
  25. Not 'Arrff! — DJ
  26. Any news yet? — Waiting
  27. only news so far — reader
  28. news from stormfront — ox-red/black
  29. From Media Source — NewsHead
  30. anyone twatted a facist yet? — holey moley
  31. scum news — ox - red/black
  32. I mite aswell keep you updated with the news from Stormfront — ox-red/black
  33. Why? — Chalk
  34. why not. — ox-red/black
  35. Piss off fascist — Chalk
  36. Ox Fathead Is Also A Believer In Fairystories! — Tops
  37. Meanwhile tony and gordy are laughing... — skunk
  38. yawn — ox-red/black
  39. Latest news — Newshead
  40. Of course you are Ox brain. — Chalk
  41. troling stormfront is fun — Red Mack
  42. ffs — phatter
  43. sorry — ox- red/black
  44. The action is backfiring guys — Al
  45. Thank Goodness for the Protesters — Mary
  46. it appears there were more police than antis — looking at the coverts blog
  47. BNP Angels? — davos
  48. News to come. — Antifa London
  49. Result — F Ryan
  50. antifairy — laughing boy
  51. True picture — Joe Public
  52. Press coverage — Hope it doesn't rain!
  53. RE whos at the front. — S.London Skin
  54. too many trolls... — trollfucker
  55. One of the 6 arrested for S14 — Anti
  56. later — see ya later
  57. Was it worth it? — Clatter
  58. Yes it was! — Applauding
  59. Links to demo and direct action reports - incl. audio — anti-fascist & anti-trot
  60. Anti, but what for? — A.P.
  61. Next time you choose to riot be in the right location!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! — Denby Village Resident
  62. 'Denby Village Resident' is a liar — ff
  63. So called resident... — Reality Check
  64. Breaking News Read All About It! — Reality Checks Reality Check
  65. More news coverage.. — Clatter